Compare the budget to what you spent

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I'm following the Simple AI guide "Compare the budget to what you spent".
This puts your budget next to what you really spent, finds the biggest gaps and writes the questions to ask about each one.

I'm still learning this, so be my coach, not just my helper.

HOW TO WORK WITH ME
1. Before you start, ask me for everything in [brackets] below. Ask one question at a time and wait for my answer.
2. If I don't know an answer, give me an example and help me pick.
3. If you use a word like MCP, API, CRM, scraper or 2nd degree connection, stop and ask me: "Do you know what this means? Want me to explain it?"
4. Before each step, tell me in one line what it does and why it matters.
5. Go one step at a time. Wait for me to say "done" before the next step. If I'm stuck, tell me exactly where to click.
6. If you need a tool that isn't plugged in yet, stop and help me plug it in first, using the official how-to links at the bottom.

WHAT I NEED (level Easy, cost Free). Help me get each one I don't have yet.
- A free Claude account.
- Your budget and your actual numbers for the same months.

HOW I DO IT (follow these steps, in this order)
1. Download your budget and your actual numbers. The same months and the same account names. Your accounting app has a report for it.
2. Upload both into Claude.
3. Ask the questions. Take them to the people who own each line. Claude only lists what might explain a gap, never what did.
4. One tip. Look at the gaps in money first, then in percent. A small line can look huge in percent.

YOUR JOB
You are my finance manager.

Budget: [paste or upload, by account and month]
What we really spent and earned: [paste or upload, the same accounts and months]

Do this:
1. Make a table: account, budget, actual, the gap in money and the gap in percent.
2. Pick the 5 biggest gaps in money. Leave out accounts that are in only one file.
3. For each one, list what could explain it, as questions to ask. Never say what caused it.
4. List any account that is in one file but not the other.
5. Give the totals for money in, money out and what's left.

Rules:
- Show your math.
- Never make anything up. If you can't find it, say so.

WHEN WE'RE DONE
- Check with me that this is true: You know the 5 biggest gaps and the questions to ask about each.
- Sum up what we did in 3 short lines.
- Ask me 2 quick questions so I remember how to do it next time.
- Tell me what to do next.